The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-23
WILLIAM HENRY SMITH, THE
GOVERNMENT LEADER,
Creates Enthusiasm By q Speech In
the House Of Commons,
UNFOLDING
THE MOTION FOR THE AMEND
MENT
or the Original Law in Ireland TO
Have Precedence Over
ALI Orders.

tnlb htJbIuOOus DtIUEo flbluk, LILO
House passed the civil service bill.
Mr.. William Henry Smith, the gov
eminent leader, arose amid cheers and
counter cheers in the House Of Com
mons this evening ard moved that
the bill for the amendment Of the
original law In Ireland have proceed
ence over I'll orders OF the day. He
said Ireland was In state OF diaor-
eaniz alton and the government were
bound to act under sense OF public
duty, particularly when they found
iuries In that country intimidated and
notorious criminals, whoss deeds were
inimical to the existence OF society,
getting of scot free. Mr.. Smith said
he would refrain from stating the de-
tails OF the measure, leaving
that to the Chief Secretary of
Ireland. What DO now urged was
that the measure was absolutely
necessary for the security and happi-
ness OF the law abiding population OF
Ireland. Referring to the proposed
amendment offered last night by Mr..
John Morley, rejecting the declaration
OF urgency for the government bill,
Mr.. Smith reminded the House how
Mr.. Gladstone resisted the adoption
of similar amendment in 1881. The
position Of the government now was
the same as that OF Mr.. Gladstone's
government then. Regarding their
smeliorative policy toward Ireland,
the sp aaker said the governm ent's land
bill would be divided into two parts.
One Of these would be introduced i'm
mediately; the other would be land
purchase bill OF wide scope. Both
measures would be found to be framed
on the PRINCIPLES ofhonesty and justice.
The speaker, however, thought the gov
eminent could not hope that any meas
ure framed on these lines would satisfy
the Irish National League, which he
SAID was the cause Of all the disorgsn-
izstion aud terrorism pervading Ire
land. Mr.. Smith said he hoped the
House would speedy adopt the gov
ernment's measures. If the House
did not adopt them, the government
would be compelled to ask the opin-
ion OF the country to either confirm
their policy or relieve them OF
the responsibilities OF government.
fCheers Mr.. John Morley, in NOV
ing the rejection OF the motion for
urgency, denied absolutely Mr..
Smiths assertions as TO ths lawlees
condition of Ireland, and demanded
that the government give comparative
statistics OF crime in Ireland, which
he said would show that, beyond a
certain very narrow area, the country
has seldom been Quieter. The gov
ernment's prop osed restrictive leg
islation would only sggravate
such evils as existed, and
would weaken and spoil whatever
remedies they had In store. The Land
Commission had declared that the
secret and cause OF the combination
among the people was the inability OF
the tenants to pay excessive rents. II
had shown that the Irish landlords
combined habits Of extravaganza, in
emulation of the richer landlords OF
England, with system of rack rent.
No matter how hard the tenants
might strive to meet their rents, this
wretched landlord system crushed
them. The coercion proposals of the
government appeared TO be based
upon the idea that the people
OF Ireland were INDECENT and
dishonest. But those who knew
them had a different conception o.
their character; they believed them
to be honest, hard working and
truthful. He could only regard the
bill as q measure designed 60 enabl,
landlords to exact exorbitsnt rents
throwing the law on the side Of thu
rich, removing all coercive or protect
i've power which the tenants derived
from combining, aud putting coercion
was less anxious to secure rents TO
some hard landlords than to secur,
just treatment for those good and hon
est working people. GOheels1 Some
landlords pTactiCed plan OF campaign
Of their own, more immoral and NOR
deserving OF being called a swindl,
than was the plan OF the tenants
Some land agents attempted to coerc,
the tenants into buying unde
, the Ashbourne act, debating tn,
terms of purchase, and threatening t
evict unless the tenant consented
Yet the government demanded urgen
! cy for bill giving such men power tt
force tenants to pay unreasonable rem
or 20 purchase at an unreasonable
, price. Behind this bill lay anothe
proposal, that the British tax payer b,
, security II the coercion of tenant
failed to safety the landlords. II wa
Irish history over again-mora
1 wrongs pressing upon suffering PEG
, pie without legal remedy; then illega
!, acts to secure something like mora
rights; then coercion, driving just dis
a content under the surface and excit
Ing. dercerdis content [Cheers. Tn
wisest policy was remedial legislation
which would destroy the roots OF dis
content. In 1881, when the coercion
bill was passed, the number o
0 evictions rose enormously. Tn
: number Of outrages increased from
ITO In February, 1881, to 479 in Janu
airy, 1882, and to 63l In March. Hear
8 hear. He doubted whether the ex
, cessive penal laws of the eighteenth
t century did more injury to Irelan'
r than did the agrarian laws Of tn,
T. pres mt century. Hear, hear. I,
, ask urgency for placing the law upoI
t the side OF the landlords was to shu
the door Of hope upon the tenants
1 His deliberate conviction was tina
, there had never been a more wanton
, gratuitous and uujustifable resort Il
the ever failing, ever poisonous rem
: edy OF coercion. [Ohsers.
Mr.. BalfoUr accused Mr.. Morley o
bsstowing adverse criticism and invec
tives upon a measure that was as ye
unknown. Mr.. Gladstone in 1881 tolC
, the House to consider not only tn,
: amount Of crime, but its character anC
what it was aimed at. The bill haC
been forced upon the government
, because the present current OF crime
was aimed at the subversion of the
laws-the basis OF order. Ii was be
side the question to tell the HOUSE
that there were some bad landlord
who oppressed the tenants. This mus
be expected while human nature re
mains what 1t Is. Referring to the
land legislation OF the late govern
ment, Mr.. Balfour characterised it a
a humiliafinu failura Tho rnnvaraiou